DailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comDailyFinance.comhttp://o.aolcdn.com/os/df/2013/img/2-dailyfinance_logo_m.pngDailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comen-usCopyright 2015 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/How much are you paying for fluff in college?http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/29/how-much-are-you-paying-for-fluff-in-college/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/29/how-much-are-you-paying-for-fluff-in-college/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/29/how-much-are-you-paying-for-fluff-in-college/#commentsFiled under: Financial AidElectives. We've all padded our college schedules with them from time to time. Somehow, an unusual blow-off class makes a tough one like organic chemistry just a little easier to tolerate. But it's not all fun and games. Are your electives going to help you at all in real life, and how much are you actually paying for fluff?

The good, the bad, and the pointless
When students start to drown in formulas and complex reading assignments, it's easy to understand the draw of crazy classes. Take Zombies in Popular Culture at Columbia College in Chicago, for instance. For a whole semester, students can watch and read about these creatures and earn credit for it. In the event of a zombie invasion, these students may be able to provide essential survival tips.

]]>classescollege, classesEmily A. LeithauserWed, 29 Sep 2010 13:00:00 ESTThe best majors and schools for online degreeshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/30/the-best-majors-and-schools-for-online-degrees/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/30/the-best-majors-and-schools-for-online-degrees/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/30/the-best-majors-and-schools-for-online-degrees/#commentsFiled under: Financial AidThanks to the Internet, earning a degree while maintaining a full-time job or having a family is no longer a huge struggle. Online degrees fit the learner's schedule and lifestyle without sacrificing other priorities. Not all online degrees are created equal, though. It is essential to research the program and the institution before enrolling in an online program.

Here are the some of the best choices that Money College found for pursuing online degrees:

Best online majors
Business degrees, both undergraduate business administration and MBAs, are wildly popular online degrees. An MBA helps advance a business career faster than simply slowly climbing the company's management ladder. Earning an MBA online allows a student to keep that important career position while preparing for job advancement. With such popularity, these programs for online degrees are competing with each other for students and promise a good education.

]]>degree millsonline degreeonline degree classesonline degree programsonline degreessham degreesShamDegreesEmily A. LeithauserMon, 30 Aug 2010 09:00:00 ESTJournalism scholarships help in a shrinking fieldhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/16/journalism-scholarships-help-in-a-shrinking-field/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/16/journalism-scholarships-help-in-a-shrinking-field/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/16/journalism-scholarships-help-in-a-shrinking-field/#commentsFiled under: Careers, Family Money, Financial AidNewspapers are fading from the media, and journalism scholarships for print-focused students are slowly heading down the same road. The evolving field forces students to no longer specialize in just writing.

"The one-position journalist is dying, if not dead. Today's journalist must be able to report, write, shoot still photos and video, design and have knowledge of website technology," said senior Rod Guajardo, editor of Auburn University's The Auburn Plainsman. With the development of this journalism jack-of-all-trades, the competition is getting tougher and the pay is still minimal.

Many publications are switching to freelanced work, making it even harder for recent graduates to find a reporting job that will help pay off the college debt. The average starting salary for a newspaper journalist is only $20,000, with a career average of $35,000. Journalism scholarships are one way to help lessen the financial burden.

Universities, private foundations and press associations offer a variety of journalism scholarships, but most of them don't help too much when a four-year education costs tens of thousands of dollars. International students and those who are interested in foreign journalism have a plethora of options for journalism scholarships. Photojournalists and broadcast journalists are also in luck. For the standard print journalist, though, very few journalism scholarships cover more than $1,000.

]]>collegejournalism scholarshipsscholarshipscholarshipsEmily A. LeithauserMon, 16 Aug 2010 11:45:00 ESTGraduate financial aid keeps students out of job market, and in debthttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/06/14/graduate-financial-aid-keeps-students-out-of-job-market-and-in/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/06/14/graduate-financial-aid-keeps-students-out-of-job-market-and-in/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/06/14/graduate-financial-aid-keeps-students-out-of-job-market-and-in/#commentsFiled under: Financial AidWith jobs scarce for recent college graduates, many are considering continuing their education and delaying the job search. While a graduate degree will make you more qualified for a higher paying job, you have to get the degree first. And that means more tuition payments. Start applying for graduate financial aid now, before you're buried under a mountain of debt.

An easy place to begin the search for graduate financial aid is with Sallie Mae. There are several loan options for students, regardless of their school or field of study. For those in business, dental, law, or medical school, Sallie Mae also offers graduate financial aid loans specifically for these programs. Make sure to research before deciding on a loan, and don't forget about private loans. Many financial companies like CitiBank and Wells Fargo offer private graduate school loans if you don't want to go through Sallie Mae.

]]>fellowshipsFinancial Aidgraduate financial aidPaying for collegepaying for educationscholarshipsstudent aidEmily A. LeithauserMon, 14 Jun 2010 09:30:00 ESTWomen: Earn more money by pursuing these careershttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/28/degrees-women-could-pursue-to-earn-more-money/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/28/degrees-women-could-pursue-to-earn-more-money/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/28/degrees-women-could-pursue-to-earn-more-money/#commentsFiled under: Careers, Financial AidDespite the claims that men and women are equal in today's society, our paychecks still show a difference. Nationwide, women are making 77 cents to the dollar compared to men in the same job for workers over 16 (though it does drop to 71 cents for women and men over 25 and college-educated). That's rather discouraging to those of us still in college or just beginning our careers. Still, many jobs out there still provide a very healthy salary for women as well as men. Choose your major wisely, and you can prepare yourself for one of the best-paying jobs for women.

]]>AngelaBralybestmajorbusinesswomancareerwomancollegemajorGeorgia Techglass ceilingPurdueSMUTexas TechWellPointEmily A. LeithauserFri, 28 May 2010 11:30:00 ESTLook like a million bucks without spending ithttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/26/look-like-a-million-bucks-without-spending-it/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/26/look-like-a-million-bucks-without-spending-it/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/26/look-like-a-million-bucks-without-spending-it/#commentsFiled under: Financial AidThe sweatpants and T-shirts many college students wear to class may say otherwise, but we really do care what we look like. We just don't want to spend a lot of money. Here are the must-have beauty products for guys and girls on a budget, all of which have been tested and approved by actual college students.

Skin
There's no doubt that great skin makes you look healthy and pulled together, even if you're still wearing yesterday's clothes. Take care of it now, and you'll thank yourself a couple decades from now. Washing your face twice a day, staying away from strong chemicals or exfoliants, patting dry after washing instead of rubbing, and keeping your hands away from your face are all cost-free ways to keep your skin happy. Choosing skin products doesn't have to be a challenge. A higher price on cleansers or lotions doesn't mean they're more effective, so don't be fooled by the beauty counter claims.

Have skin that's dry? CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser is recommended by dermatologists, InStyle magazine and friends. Because it's soap-free, it doesn't strip your skin of any essential oils and hydrates while it cleans. It's available in a 12 oz. bottle at Walmart for $12. Aveda offers a moisturizing cleanser too, but their product costs $20 for only 5 oz.

]]>besthaircarebestskincarebudgetbeautycheapbeautyhair careinstyle magazineInStyleMagazineJohn Friedaskin careEmily A. LeithauserWed, 26 May 2010 15:00:00 ESTGetting a 4-year degree in 3 yearshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/04/01/getting-a-4-year-degree-in-3-years/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/04/01/getting-a-4-year-degree-in-3-years/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/04/01/getting-a-4-year-degree-in-3-years/#commentsFiled under: Student Loans, Credit, Financial AidThis week, Money College presents two views of graduating college early by experts -- that is, students who took the three-year path through school. You can also read Money College blogger Sarah Dietze's companion piece about saving money by graduating early.

I've heard it time and time again: "College is the best time of your life. Why would you want to get out early?" Despite others' questioning my logic, graduating early has probably been one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Graduating early wasn't my original plan; I was just going to take it easy in college. Thanks to my Advanced Placement scores in biology, psychology, English literature and statistics, I was a sophomore by Christmas of my first year. Never pass up opportunities to take AP courses in high school. You'll either test out of a course or already be familiar with the material.

The financial incentive to graduate early was enough to convince me to put in the work and finish school before May, 2010. The average student at a public, four-year university pays about $7,000 per year for tuition before award packages. For those who choose private institutions, the yearly cost without any aid or scholarships averages $26,000. Add on room and board, and both college options have a hefty bill. I graduated just one semester early and saved myself approximately $10,000 in tuition. As a result, I am financially stable while searching for a career.

The starving college student stereotype is well-known: a bleary-eyed co-ed surviving on ramen noodles and Easy Mac. But don't worry if you're starting another semester with a near-empty wallet: You can eat on a college budget and still be healthy. While dinner at a fancy restaurant can cost upwards of $35, you can eat for an entire week for about the same price. Here's how.

The first step to eating cheaper is to shop smarter. Before you even walk out the door, log on to your nearest grocery's Web site. Almost every grocer puts the circular ad online. Take advantage of a good sale and stock up on nonperishable foods that you will eat every week.